Randal Burton (right) pushes away Keith Speed (left) to avoid Speed's upcoming punch during an amateur Mixed Martial Arts fight at the LC Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio, as part of the 2014 Arnold Sports Festival on Friday, February 28, 2014. Burton won the 155-pound weight class fight.
Two weekends ago I spent Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning photographing the 2014 Arnold Sports Festival with Classic Productions. I was on the team as a freelance photographer, so I was able to move around from event to event without any sort of schedule dictating what I had to shoot. Classic Productions didn't require caption information and wanted us to make as many photographs as possible, so I unfortunately got few names as I was running from event to event sporadically. The festival is held from February 27 - March 2 in Columbus, Ohio, at the Columbus Convention Center as well as a few additional buildings. The event is massive-roughly 18,000 athletes come to prove themselves in dozens of sports and events in front of approximately 175,000 fans a year. This being my first year at the Arnold, I had a lot to take in-especially with my limited time (I had to meet up with the Singing Men of Ohio in Niagara Falls to document and enjoy their spring break tour with them as the group's Historian-which was an incredible experience as well).
Female amateur bodybuilders prepare to go backstage before judging at Veterans Memorial in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, February 27, 2014.
A female amateur bodybuilder checks herself in a mirror backstage at Veterans Memorial in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, February 27, 2014.
Female amateur body builders size up a woman checking herself in a mirror before going on stage for judging at Veterans Memorial in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, February 27, 2014.
A boys' gymnastics coach watches his athletes practice alongside boys from other schools before performing in their respective events at the Columbus Convention Center on Friday, February 28, 2014.
A contortionist performs between events on the Expo Center Stage in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, February 28, 2014.
Members of World Jump Rope perform at the Columbus Convention Center on Friday, February 28, 2014.
A powerlifter inhales deeply before squatting his maximum weight at the Columbus Convention Center on Friday, February 28, 2014.
A professional arm wrestler shouts as he gives his final effort and defeats his opponent at the Columbus Convention Center on Friday, February 28, 2014.
Blood drips from an MMA fighter's nose after being punched in the face by his opponent at the LC Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, February 28, 2014.
A medic checks out an injury on a MMA fighter sustained during a fight while the injured fighter's opponent waits in his corner to continue fighting at the LC Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, February 28, 2014.